Max's Story

Max* is from Narnia and belongs to a traditionally Muslim family. According to him though, there was no God and we’ve got to make the most of life and design our own destinies. He wanted to learn English and that’s where he crossed paths with some Believers. One middle-aged man was able to meet with Max outside of the lesson. For a season Max was connecting with a hand full of people who helped him not only study a new language, but also form a new perspective about spirituality. Sins don’t get canceled out by congruent virtuous acts. A man who provides a generous dowry for his daughter is not guaranteed paradise. Forgiveness and renewal of your heart comes by loving and following Jesus’ teachings. Jesus is divine and lives. We must seek to please and honor Him. By the miracle of salvation Max became a part of God’s family. In fact he spent six months in a discipleship course, and now he teaches English at the same language school he was studying in just a few years ago.

Pray for his family and neighbors to not only tolerate his faith, but see their need for Jesus in their lives also.

“Thank you, God, for people like Max that You are drawing to you from this far off nation.”

Max* joined us as a staff member at the English school during my final semester in Narnia. His name has been changed in this post to protect his identity.

The end of one chapter, marks the beninning of another!

I came across a card once that said: If I were a mad scientist I would create a monster for just you and call it 'THANK-instein'!!! I think it was a kids' Halloween card. The picture was Frankenstein...an approachable cuddly version. But on a serious note, I am grateful beyond words for the way you contributed and partnered in blessing "Narnia". I plan to post stories here. I hope you will visit again and be encouraged!

My first stop once I flew back to America was to California to see my parents and visit my church. Both of my parents are doing well! (And so proud of their second grandson's birth!) My church is such a part of my life that getting to worship with my brothers and sisters there made me really feel like I am home again.

Since arriving back in the USA I've had a sweet time to reconnect with many loved ones. Thank you Lord! I've only scratched the surface when it comes to reconnecting with each person I'd like to. I wish I could have visited with each of you who prayed, supported, and checked this blog.

There's so much ground to cover!!! But you really impacted my time there and I DO have lots of stories to tell! :) So here on this blog - since I'm in KC and chances are you are not - I'd like to share what was happening on the ground out in "Narnia". Also some plans for the future and prayer requests will be posted here too!

Right now I am visiting my family in Kansas City and enjoying being an aunt to my nephews. My older sister's has two boys now. They are two years (Noah) and two months old Cohen). The last time I saw Noah he was Cohen's age!

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New Brother!

It's a chilly wet overcast morning. I'm dodging puddles in front of my apartment building. Before I get 10 strides out of my stair way, I slow for an elderly woman walking ahead of me. Judging by bundles swinging from her hands I could tell she was on the same assignment as I: Throw out the trash. My apartment's dumpster site is on the way to the language school where I teach. Today I left a few minutes later than I should have and slowing my gate to a trot behind the "babuska" wasn't a something I felt like I could afford today. But I gave her polite space (which is my US culture showing through. They don't exactly have personal-bubbles here.)...Suddenly we were both stopped in our tracks. The mother of all puddles was hiding behind the parked car she and I just walked past. A man-hole cover was bubbling up a steady stream of water. Steady enough to make a mini sea of our road & walk way...

Thankfully I spotted a stretch of raised asphalt between another parked car and a wall that she and I could fit through to complete our shared objective: Throw out the trash. Once through this detour we were home free, and I raised arm to fling my grocery bag-o-rubbish by the knotted plastic handles to it's target. "Is there bread in there??" I hear from behind me. I looked back and saw her place a little bag of bread on a ledge near our dumpster. Our building isn't sophisticated enough to have a designated bread bin. "No I there's no bread (in my trash)" I replied. "Honestly?" She continued. "Honestly." I said confidently.

This place has been "home" for a year, but the custom of regarding bread so highly that even when moldy and stale, it is never tossed with the rest of your trash, still makes me shake my head. Actually, It's bad luck to throw out bread. It's bad luck to throw out trash after the sun setts too. I do what I can to not raise eyebrows, but today's a reminder that they take this stuff seriously.

One young man on my team witnessed as a "Narnian" demonstrated how he takes Jesus' message to heart in a new way...YES one new brother has joined our family. I can't post much about them online but I must share the news of this miracle! Though there is still much darkness and deception held by these dear people, there is yet hope and we trust that the seed sown will at it's appointed season bear fruit!

I will post again about life here soon!

In Him,
Yvonne

Bringing you up to speed with Narnia life and my work

OY DA! (Russian slang meaning OH MAN! or GOLLY!)

So today my post begins with OY DA! :)

January alone was full of learning, challenges, and hopes fulfilled. And 12 months have passed us since my move to "Narnia". To remember and share months of life here is an overwhelming thing to attempt but I will take a few threads and unravel them for your information and (hopefully) benefit!

The Valley

The struggle to "make it" here with my team and in the "Narnian" culture was ominous looking before I even crossed the pond. What was in store was exponentially more shocking. Or should I say "distressing"? The words "culture shock" seem to suggest a sudden zaps that disappears in a moment, like lightning. But after walking through the shock, (distress, trauma, what have you) of re-finding out how to live and relate, I feel like "culture distress" is a more fitting term.

Before I could regain "my bearings" again the enemy, the darkness here, my human error, etc. reacted and deep deception about Papa G, myself, others snuck into my life. The fight to re-claim myself took weeks and weeks of struggle with a few timely gracious brothers and sisters, but THANKS BE TO G-D! I was restored and have a new capacity to create, to give, to pr-y and stand with others who feel at the end of their rope. He's not intimidated by the storms that happen within the human heart. And when we feel so so SO alone, remember the fact that HE HASN'T FORSAKEN YOU. And that there's a whole lot on the line, and your soul's well-being, and my soul's well-being ARE His department.

Earlier this month a woman returned to "Narnia". She first met me months ago and had not seen me since I recovered. The first thing she said to me was, "You're still here!? IT'S A MIRACLE!" I was a little insulted at first, "Did I seem like a goner?" I almost asked, wanting to defend my performance, but I stopped myself and realized it's not about me, "YEAH! It IS a miracle!" I agreed and she kept exclaiming more praise to Him. :) I still don't have a clear understanding about why He allowed me to walk such a deep valley for weeks here, but I know He's glorifying Himself, and I'm happy (now) just to know this.

Himself

Portions of the word of G-d are easy to retrieve from memory, but lately I am seeing and learning like never before. It's really great to see Him speak and instruct me from passages I've read over before, without my heart being impacted, and now I begin to meditate on the principles, truth, and application before I'm even conscious of doing so. It's like when you see someone yawn and you feel the sensation inside you to yawn yourself, without even consciously choosing to yawn right now. (Anyone else feel a yawn coming on?) My point is that He's drawing me into His precepts like I've never been drawn before. Specifically 1 Samuel. First Samuel has always ever been among the portions I force myself to read in the "Through the bible in a year" listing. But now I'm seeing much about G-d being revealed in Isra-l's story. It's fantastic! Perhaps my struggle against what He was doing by putting me in a valley last year has given me new eyes for passages like 1 Samuel...

Roof over my head

A few months into my time here I moved from one apartment to another. I left the country on 4 occasions, and I have one more "visa trip" to make in the next few weeks. Being displaced, not knowing where you will sleep in the country you reside in, or the next country over, I've found myself "F.I.N.E." on more occasions than I'd like to admit. "FINE" = Freaked Out, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional. How will I find the Embassy there? Will they try to extort money from me? Is is safe for me to travel alone? Will there be a vacancy in the guest house? Will I see my luggage again? Did I bring enough copies of the right documents? Is this taxi driver sober? Will I see "Narnia" again? Have the laws changed again? Will I have to apply from the States? What's the meaning of all this red tape! How will I pay for this?! What if I get stranded without lodging, internet or a cell phone with a sim card for that country? This is too much!!!!!!!!

Of course, seeing as how I'm writing this in retrospect, from "Narnia", everything fell into place for me to safely (though not comfortably) perform the mandatory tasks in the closest legal locations. Papa G made a way for me, I might have run out of finger nail to bite in the process, but I'm here with my hand to the plow, by His grace.

The End

This semester has special significance because it marks the end of my time here. Originally I was assigned with this team who would need me for two years. But things have changed. My team is working in conjunction with a college. To accommodate the academic schedule set for the students, this project was shortened. We leave Narnia on April 22nd and 23rd. I just bought a ticket to fly into SFO on the 22nd. It's a bitter sweet thing to consider. In just about 80 days I'll be in my mother land. Where police don't pull you over for bribe money...Where car horns don't sound like spaceships...Where my friends jaws don't drop when I mention that I know how to drive a car... Where grocery stores don't stock their shelves with expired food. Where men don't offer their seat in BART for a lady who boards the crowded train car (I'll miss that!).

"California, here I come"

San Jose will be my first stop. I do hope that I will be able to see you face to face again.
After spending a few weeks in SJ, my parents and I will go to Kansas City to welcome my sister' second child into our family! She is due in Late May/Early June.
After spending some time there I'd like head up to Minnesota to touch base with my "company" (that I work with here). In the fall the 8 students on my team will graduate from the college program.


What's Next?

I'll save that for a later blog entry. This one is LONG! Sorry for the tidal wave of information in this one. I'll be better about correspondence now!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFUL SUPPORT AND PRA-ERS!
TAKE CARE!
In Him,
Yvonne